Winter.Sunflowers (2026)Drawing by Elena Sanina

This artwork depicts a solitary sunflower enduring the harshness of winter, set against a deep, dark blue background. The composition is both minimalist and evocative, capturing the resilience of nature in the face of cold and desolation.
The sunflower, the central figure of the piece, is rendered with bold, expressive brushstrokes. Its stem and leaves are depicted in thick, white and gray layers, accented with vivid red outlines that add a sense of tension and life to the otherwise dormant plant. The flower head is heavily laden with snow, shown in textured, uneven white patches that suggest the weight and chill of winter. Icicles hang delicately from the edges of the snow, adding a touch of fragility to the scene.
The artist has employed a combination of pencils and gouache, which lends the piece a unique texture. The gouache creates opaque, saturated areas (especially noticeable in the snow and red accents), while pencil work adds fine details and subtle shading. The contrast between the rough, almost abstract strokes of the plant and the smooth, uniform background enhances the sense of isolation.
The dark blue backdrop serves a dual purpose: it emphasizes the cold atmosphere of winter while also creating a dramatic canvas that allows the white and red elements of the sunflower to stand out vividly. The absence of other elements in the composition focuses the viewer’s attention entirely on the struggling plant, evoking empathy and admiration for its endurance.
The work is drawn on blue professional paper. I used colored pencils and gouache for my idea.
Thank you for your attention to my work!

Materials used:

gouache, pencils

Details:

• Drawing on Paper
• One of a kind artwork
• Size: 42 x 30cm (unframed)
• Signed on the front
• Style: Graphic
• Subject: Flowers and plants

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